Mechanical musical instrument



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

P. STONE.

MECHANICAL MUSIGAL INSTRUMENT.

(No Model.)

No. 394,794; I Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

N. PETERS. Fhmo-Liflwmv m Washington. In;

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

P. STONE.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

N0. 394,794. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

M PETERS. Pholo-Umognpber. wamin mn. uc.

(N0 M L) V 3 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

. P. STONE.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 894,794. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

N. PFIERS. Phobumognphbf, Wasiungi' ML D. C-

UN TED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRANK STONE, OF \VORCESTER, MASSAtI'II SETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN ORGAN AND MUSIC COMPAX'Y, OF CONNECTICUT.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,794, dated December 18, 1888. Application filed May 26, 1888. Serial No. 275,156 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVorcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

In mechanical musical instruments wherein the winding mechanism for the advancement of the music-sheetis operated by a pneumatic motor or engine worked by air-currents i11- duced by the bellows or wind-inducingapparatus, the motor pneumat-ics, or the inflatable and collapsible pneumatic chambers which are connected for rotating the driving-shaft, act more effectively upon the driving-shaft at some portions of their throw or movement than at other portions, owing to the more ad vantageous positions of the driving-cranks or to the simultaneously-exerted force of two chambers, consequently imparting to the drivingshaft a series of impulsive movements in its rotation, which, being transmitted through the winding mechanism, impels the music-sheet with jerky or pulsatory movement as it advances. This unsteady movement in a greater or less degree interferes with the perfect rendering of the music, and also creates a slight shuftiing noise as the music-sheet pass s over the tracker-range, thus heretofore presenting a very serious objection in the use of pneumatic operatingmotors.

The objects of my present: invention are, first, to overcome the above-named objections and to provide an etticieut and simple means whereby a steady and regular movement of the sheet is insured and the jerky or pulsatory exertions of force imparted to the driving-shaft by the motor pneuinatics is counteracted or overcome without its being transmitted to the music-sheet-winding spools or feedrolls.

A second object of my invention is to provide a regulator or means for the purpose above stated so constructed and disposed,in combina tion with the motor or driving shaft and sheetoperating mechanism, that the regulating or steadying mechanism can be readily thrown into and out of action when desired by the operator; also, to provide facilities for throw: ing the regulating or steadying mechanism into and out of action automatically, or in conjunction with the rcwi riding-stop, whereby said stieadying mechanism is made operative when the sheet is advancing and non-operative while the sheet is being rcwound.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in combination with the motor and the musicsheet-winding mechanism, a yielding shipper that will permit full movement of the operating-stop regardless of any temporary interference of the clutch-lugs.

Another object of my invention is to provide in an automatic musical instrument having a series of pneumat ics and valves for gov erning the playing action, in connection with a tracker and music-sheet, a chamber embracing the series of pneumatic inlets and a stop-valve for excluding the external air therefrom, so as to annul or render ineffective the control of the governing-valves or pneumatics, and thereby prevent the production of sound while rewinding the music-sheet; also, to afford, in combination with such stopvalve, facilities for operating the same simultaneously with the operation of the shipper of the sheet-propelling mechanism, whereby said stop-valve is opened when the propelling mechanism is brought into effect for advancing the m usic-sheet and closed when the rewinding mechanism is brought into action.

The minor features of improvement will be understood from the description and illustrations.

These objects I attain by mechanism the nature and operation of which are explained in the following descript'h'm, the particular features claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sec tion of a musical-instrument action illustrating the nature of my invention. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same. Fig. is a section through the end of the music-spool or rewinding-roll, showing the construction of the gud geon-pin. Fig. 3* is a side view of said pin,

Fig. 4 is a section of the rewinding-shaft. Fig. 5 is a plan of the yielding shipper lever, shifting-pulleys, and clutch devices. Fig. (5 is a plan view showing a modification in the arrangement of the shifting-pulleys an d yielding shipper-lever and my improved mechanism for varying the speed at which the musicsheet is advanced; and Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing my improved shut oif valve mechanism for preventing the inlet of external air to the primary cont-rolling-valves, and thereby rendering the principal pneumatics inactive.

In referring to parts, A indicates the windchest, from which the air is exhausted by any suitable bellows or exhausting mechanism in the usual well-known manner.

B indicates the principal pneumatics for operating valves B, that control the ducts of the reeds or sounding devices 0 indicates the governing-valves that control the inlet-passages to said principal pneumatics, and 0 indicates the primary pneumatics' for working said governing-valves, the same having inlets or windways whereby they are controlled from the tracker by the musicsheet.

The several pneumatics and valves, with their respective windways and passages, may be of any suitable well-known form and construction. As herein shown, they are disposed for operation substantially as described in Letters Patent No. 368,164.

D indicates the driving-shaft of the motorengine, which shaft receives rotative motion from a series of collapsible and expansible chambers, D, through suitable connections and cranks. The wind-chest A of the motor is connected with the main wind-chest A by a suitable trunk or pipe, a, and has arranged in connection therewith suitable valve mechanism for rendering the motor operative to generate power and motion by the pressure of air-currents induced by bellows or exhaust mechanism in well-known manner. This motor-engine, whereby rotarymovei'nent is imparted to the shaft D, need not be herein more fully described in detail, since my presentinvention does not relate to the construction of the motor-engine, and any of the various windengines adapted for this class of instruments can be used in this connection for rotating said driving-shaft.

E indicates the winding-roll by means of which the perforated music-sheet M is advanced or moved forward over the trackerm, and E is the rewinding-roll or music-spool. Said rolls E and E are supported between the cheek-pieces G and G at opposite sides of the tracker, as indicated. Combined with the journals of roll E, I employ auxiliary bearingblocks g, carrying adjusting screw-pintles 6 arranged as indicated in Fig. 2, and by means of which the position of said winding-roll can be adjusted both longitudinally and in its parallel relation to the tracker, so that it will advance the music-sheet over the tracker with the rows of perforations perfectly in range with the tracker-ducts, the music-spools E being made to gage at their right-hand end and supported to run close againstthe righthand cheek-piece G, thus insuring precision of action and a clear rendering of the music in accord with the perforations while narrow spacings and perforations are employed.

F indicates an intermediate shaft, having a pulley, F, whereby it receives motion, and a second pulley, F for a purpose hereinafter stated. Said shaft F is mounted to be longitudinally movable in its bearings, and is provided with a pinion, f, which meshes with the gear e, fixed on the axis of the winding-roll E. The pinion f and gear 6 can be thrown into and out of engagement by endwise movement of the shaft F. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) In the present instance a disk or flange, 71 is fixed on said shaft, and a rocker wire or lever, H, is combined therewith, which engages said disk for moving back said shaft to unmesh the gears, while a suitable springpresser, H, is provided that presses against the opposite side of the disk for forcing forward the shaft to throw the gears into engagement.

At a convenient position in relation to the intermediate shaft, F, and upon a detached or independent shaft or axle, Z, I arrange a revoluble governor or balancing wheel, I, mounted to rotate freely on its axis, and provided with apulley, I, which is connected by belt I with the pulley F' on the intermediate shaft, F, so that said governor or wheel will act in conjunction with said intermediate shaft, receiving or exerting its force through the belt I and having no direct connect-ion with the motor-shaft. This governor therefore acts to maintain an equal rotation of the pinion-shaft F and to destroy the pulsative beats imparted to the driving-shaft by the motor pneumatics before said pulsatory movement is transmitted to the winding-roll. \Vhen the winding mechanism is thrown out of action, the balance or governor I, being belted to the intermediate shaft, F, is also thrown out of action. Hence the motor-engine is relieved from the work of running said governor while rewinding, and it can operate with greater speed and ett'ect for quickly drawing back the music-sheet. This is a feature of importance in the use of pneumatic motors for operating music-sheet-propolling mechanism.

In musical instruments where two or more intermediate shafts are employed for transmitting motion from the shaft of the pneumatic motor-engine to the winding-roll, the balance-governor I can be belted in connection with either of the intermediate shafts for independent operation in the manner set forth.

J indicatesthe rewinding-shaft, supported in suitable bearings in line with the axis of the rewinding roll or spool E and provided with a pulley, for its operating-belt. V A

suitable spring, J is arranged at the end of said shaft for pressing it forward to hold the roll or music-spool E and bear it close against the opposite cheek-piece, G. The end of the rewinding-shaft J is counterbored and slitted, as at j, Fig. 4, and the music-spool has in one end a gudgeon-pin, N, formed of a piece of wire pointed and compressed in suitable dies to throw out tins n n at its opposite sides. (See Figs. 3 and 3%) This pin is driven into the spool, as indicated, leaving a projection that will fit into the counterbored end of the rewinding-shaft, the fins intermeshing with the slits, so that the shaft and spool will be caused to revolve together, while the axis is held central, so that the spool will revolve truly.

I am aware that the interlocking of a music-spool with its bearing is not a novel feature; but the particular construction of the gudgeon-pin with its compressed cars 12 is of my invention, and is a simple improvement and superior method of making this connection.

K and L indicate pulleys mounted loose on the shaft D, and respectively provided with clutching teeth or projections 7e and 7, that engage with pins (Z (7, fixed on the shaft. The pulley K is provided with a belt, K, that runs ontothe pulley F of the intermediate shaft for operating the winding mechanism, and the pulley L is provided with the belt L, that runs the rewinding-shaft J. The hubs of the pulleys K and L are respectively provided with flanges 7; Z, that are engaged by the ship ping mechanism for shifting the position of the pulleys on the shaft, so that the tooth 7.- will engage the pin (1 for operating the winding mechanism, or in the oppo itie direction, so that the tooth I will engage the pin (1 to effect the rewinding. The hubs of the pulleys K and L preferably have their flanges adjacent, but are disconnected front each other, so that they can revolve independently about the shaft. This allows one pulley to have backward rotation while the other pulley is performing the work, and vice versa.

The shipper-lever O, by which the pulleys K and L are shifted, is fulcrumed on a suitable yart of the frame, as at. 0, andis joined for operation with a draw-stop, P, by suitable connections, which in the present instance consist of a slide-bar, P, and links P disposed in such manner that when the stop P is drawn out the pulleys and clutch mechanism will be shifted from the position in which the winding mechanism is in action to a position for effecting rewinding, and vice versa.

The shipper-lever 0,1 provide with means whereby yielding action is effected, so as to permit full movement of the stop, even though the clutch teeth or lugs strike against each other and temporarily prevent the clutch from falling into engagement.

or elastic fingers O at the end of the lever,

This is accomplished, preferably, by providing springs which embrace the flanges, as in Fig. which springs can yield back, as indicated by dotted lines, when the clutch-teeth interfere, then, by their spring action, carry forward the pulleys, causing the clutches to drop into engagement as soon as the rotation of the shaft moves the clutch-pins beyond the end of the tooth. (See dotted lines and full lines, Fig. This allows the stop 1 to be drawn out to its full limit regardless of the interference of the clutches. Another mannerof attaining the yielding shipper-lever is to provide the end of the lever that cng s with its operating-lair l" with an elastic arm or spring, as indicated at Fig. (i; or, again, to support it on a yielding fulcrum, or in connection with a spring, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. ti. The rocker-wire for throwing out the pinion is connected for operation with the ship 'ier-lever or its slidebar P to be operated by the same stop, P, so that the gear 0 is thrown out of and into action simultaneously with the shifting of the winding and rewinding belts.

In Fig. i; l have shown a modification of the intermediate shaft and pulley mechanism, in which the sh ifting-pull eys are arranged on the intermediate or pinion shaft instead of on theimitor-shaft', and also in this modification the longitudinal movement of the shaft for throwing the gears c and f into and out of action is effected by he shipper-lever as well as the shifting of the pulleys and their clutches, an excess of movement being provided for over and above that required for thrmving the clutches into and out of action, so that after the clutch is interlocktal further movement of the shi 'ipcr-lcvcr will throw the pinion into and out of mesh, according to the direction of movemcntas, for instance, in Fig. (3 the clutch 7." (l is shown in engagement and the pinion f is out of mesh with the gear. Now, by a slight further nt of the lever, the end. of the hub the pin :1, causes the shaft to move forward, carrying the pinion into mesh with the gear. The collar 12 prevents the pinion from going past the gear e, while the yielding of the shipper-lever act-ommmh'itcs interference of the gear-tceth as well as of the clutchlugs. The ini'crmtalialc shaft. is best provided with a telescoping section, so that the end containing the pinion can be moved ltnigittnlinally without moving the portion on which the cone-pulley is supported.

in Fig. t the motor-shaft and intermediate shaft have combined 1 herewith mechanism for rrgulating or varying the speed at which the music-sheet is advancctll, by means that is under control of the player, and which consists of a pair of cone-pulleys, Kjand F", one of whichis fixed on the motor-shaft and the other one on an extension of the intermediate shaft, these concpnllcys being connected by a belt, 5; and a belt-shift ing guide, H, is provided for nmving said belt from one end to the other of the cone-pulleys. Said guide is connected with a stop or lever, 7, the forward end of which is disposed at a convenient position accessible to the operator, and provided with a hand-knob, S, or suitable means whereby it can be moved for shifting the belt 5, as desired. Any arrangement of links 9 or connecting devices may be employed for joining the belt-shifting guide to its operating-stop. An index, 10, is preferably used for denoting at a glance the position of the belt on the conepulleys by the relation of its operating-lever to said index.

I do not confine my invention to any particularform of belt-shifting devices, as the gist of the improvement is in the combination, with the motor-shaft and intermediate shaft in a musical instrument wherein the sheetpropelling mechanism is operated by a windmotor actuated by air-currents induced by the bellows or blowing apparatus, of coned pulleys and a means for shifting the connectingbelt for changing the speed of the music-sheet in relation to the speed of the motor-engine.

To prevent the sounding of the reeds while rewinding the music-sheet, the principal pneumatics are rendered inert or inoperative by the following-described means, the same being an important feature of my invention: Externally of and inclosing the governingvalves C, that control the inlets to the principal pneumatics, I form an air-chamber, G which includes within it the series of governing-valves or the outer ends thereof. This chamber 0 is provided with a suitable airinlet passage, 0, located at any convenient posit-ion, preferably near one end of the instrument, through which inlet the air passes from the exterior to the valves C for supplying the inflation of the principal pneumatics B. For opening and closing the passage 0, I provide a. shut-off or stop-valve, S, which, when closed, prevents the external air from entering the chamber C and thereby nullifies the action of the governing-valves C, or by withholding external pressure renders the main pneumatics inert, so that said pneumatics cannot become inflated for working the reed-duct valves, notwithstanding the continued action of the primary pneumatics C and governing-valves.' The valve S is connected by suitable operating-links, T T, wit-h a draw-stop, to enable the operator to open and close said valve at will. Said draw-stop can, if desired, be a separate stop, or, if preferred, it can, as in the present instance, be the same stop, P, which operates the shipping mechanism, so that the stop-valve S will be operated sim ultaneously with the belt-shifting mechanism when changing from winding to rewinding, and vice versa, said valve S being thus automatically closed while rewinding the sheet and opened while the sheet is advanced for playing the music. By means of this stop-valve S the sounding devices are prevented from speaking during the rewinding of the sheet, without regard to the working of the pneumatics C and valves C and without isolating the pneumatics B from the bellows. This construction is simple, efficient, and convenient for manufacture, and is of special advantage on instruments having their pneumatics disposed within the wind-chest. In case the primary governing-valves C are arranged on or above the top of the wind-chest the chamber C can be formed Within the stopvalves or shut-off, the same being made as a roof or cover to close down over the entire series of valves 0.

I am aware that in several patents on mechanical musical instruments heretofore granted balance-wheels or fly-governors have been shown and described, the combinations and nature of operation thereof being, however, ditferent from that of my improvement. It will therefore be understood that I do not broadly claim a balance or governor in a musical instrument irrespective of its arrangement and manner of operation in combination with other parts, as herein specified.

\Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mechanicalmusical instrument, the combination, with a wind-motor engine and the music-sheetpropelling rolls, of a revoluble governor mounted on a detached or inclependent axis and operated by a belt from an intermediate shaft, through which shaft the power and motion are transmitted from said motor-engine to the sheet-propelling rolls.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the roll-operating shaft which imparts motion to the musicsheet winding or feeding roll, of a balance or govern or wheel revoluble on an independent axle, and a belt extending from a pulley on said roll-operating shaft to a pulley 011 said governor-axle, whereby said governor is caused to act by and in conjunction with said rolloperating shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In amechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the music-sheet-Winding roll and rewinding-roll, of the pinion-shaft carrying an operating-pulley and a pinion that meshes with the win din g-roll gear, a pneumatic motor-engine operated by air-currents induced by the bellows or wind-inducing apparatus, the motor-shaft provided with pulleys and belts that respectively run the pinion-shaft and rewinding-rolls, the revolving governor-wheel mounted on a detached or independent axis and operated in connection with said pinion-shaft, and a shipper that simultaneously throws said windingroll mechanism and governor-wheel out of action with the motor or driving mechanism When rewinding the music-sheet, and conversely, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a motor-engine, a drivingshaft having pulleys and clutches that transmit motion therefrom to the music-sheet winding and rewinding rolls, a draw-stop, and a yielding shipper for shifting the clutching parts, substantially set forth.

5. I11 a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the power-shifting clutches for changing the motion for winding. and rewinding the music-sheet, of a yielding shipper-lever and a draw-stop for operating the same, as described, said shipper being adapted to permit full movement of the stop when the clutches interfere and for subsequently intermeshing the clutches, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the shaft D, having the clutch-lugs (l d, the pulleys K and L, their hubs independently movable on said shaft and provided with clutch-fingers 7,1 7, and with disks or flanges Z 7; at their adjacent ends, the shipping-lever O, embracing both said disks for moving the pulley-hubs longitudinally on said shaft to the respective clutchlugs, and a yielding spring combined with said shipper-lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the motor-shaft, of two pulleys for carrying the belts that operate the winding and rewinding rolls, said pulleys being independently movable on the shaft and having flanges or equivalent means at the adjacent ends of their hubs for simultaneous as and for the purpose action thereon of the shipping-lever, substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanical pneumatic musical instrument, the combination, with the pneumatics that operate the so1unlduct valves, and a series of primary governing-valves that control the air-inlets to said pneumatics, of 'a shut-off or valve outside thereof for excluding the external air from said series of inlets and governing-valves, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a mechanical musical instrument, a series of principal pneumatics that control the valves of the sounding devices, aml a series of primary pneumaties controlled from the tracker, with valves that govern the inlet and outlet of air to said main pneuniatics, in combination with a chamber that externally includes said governing-valves, and a shut-oil? or stop valve under control of the operator for closing said chamber to prevent the entrance of external air to said governing-valves, For the purposes set forth.

10. In a pneumatic musical instrument, the combination, with the music-sheet tracker, winding and rewinding roll mechanism, and principal valve-operating pneumatics, of an air-chamber including the series of air-inlets to said principal pnemnatics and their governing-valves, a shut-off valve controlling the entrance of air to said chamber, and connections for operating said shut-off valve actuated by or in conjunction with the rewindingstop, whereby the shifting of the sheetpropelling mechanism and the closing of the airehaniber are simnltan eously effected, substantially as set forth.

11. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of the winding-roll provided with the gear 6, the longitudinally-movable pinionshaft F, having the pinion f, tlange 71, and pulley I!" for the operating-belt, the springpresser II, and retracting-lever ll, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the pneumatic motor-engine, music-sheet-winding roll, and roll-operating shaft, of a pair of conoidal pulleys, a belt connecting said pulleys, a belt-shipper, and a stop oractuating-leverunder control of the player for regulating the speed of advancement of the music-slneet.

1 In a mechanical. musical. instrument, the combination, with a wind-motor engine and an intermediate shaft for transmitting power to the sheet-winding rolls, of a pair of coned pulleys, a connecting-band and band-shitting mechanism, and an indicating device for denoting the position of the band in relation to the pulleys.

it. The music-sheet spool provided with a wire gudgeon-pin, the sides of which are com pressed to form tins n n, as shown, in combination with the rewinding-shatt carrying a belt-pulley and having its end counterbortal and slitted, the supportiiig-bearings that allowlongitiulinal movement of said shaft, and a spring pressing against said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. The (,ombination, with the tracker, music-spool, and winding-roll, ot' the adjustable rollbearings g, carrying t he pintle-serews e for regulating the position of the winding roll in relation to the tracker, substantially as set forth.

10. The mbination, substantially as described, ot' the wimling-roll having gear e, the intermediate shaft, I, having pinion f and pulleys F the rewinding-shat't .I, carrying pulleys .l", the motor-sluift l), carrying pulleys K and 'L, and clutch devices 7; l d d tlnereon, the shipper-lever t), for shifting said pulleys, the roeker lever ll and spring-presser ll, engaging shaft 1, the draw-stop P, and connections joining said stop with the rocker and shipper-lever, tor the purposes set forth.

\Citness my hand this lflth day of May, A. I lSRh.

FRANK STONE.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. ll. BURLEIGH, ELLA P. BLENIIS. 

